Shipping container for bulky items



United States Patent 4 Claims Int. Cl. B65d 13/04, 19/20 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shipping container for bulky items or articles including a base member having longitudinally extending stringers and transversely arranged supports extending between the stringers, a pair of foldable flange retaining elements being wrapped about the transversely arranged supports to form an integral portion with the base member, these flange retaining elements being foldable to provide a flange retaining cavity. A carton body is provided, the carton body forming an enclosure for the article mounted on the base, the carton body including a pair of foldable flange members extending downwardly from the body and being received into the flange retaining cavities. Means are also provided for retaining the flanges within the flange retaining cavities for positive retention of the carbon body on the base member.

A container for the shipment or storage of appliances and other bulky items which includes a base member having deck boards and spacing stringers and having scored sheets interposed on the base ends between at least the deck board and stringer for proper securement to the base, the sheet having an outstanding portion which is foldable to provide a flange retaining and capturing flap. The unit includes a container portion which will be lowered over an item arranged on the base and the container is provided with a pair of outwardly extending flap formable elements on the ends thereof which will be received into and agree with the positioning of the flange retaining members on the base for positively holding the top cover poriton down about the unit to be stored; the flange and flange retaining elements being interlocked and held together through various positive fastening means. The remaining edges of the carton body or cover member may extend downwardly to be securely attached to the remaining portions of the base for positive closure therearound the stored member. The cover member and the overly extending flange retaining portions of the base are preferably formed from fiber material.

In the past various shipping and storage containers for appliances and other bulky items have been provided and have incorporated at least in part certain fiber portions and the like which are ordinarily received over the unit to be stored and in some manner are closed therearound. The concept provided herein by applicant provides a unique fastening method between the main carton body and the skid or pallet upon which the member to be stored is arranged such that a positive locking effect is obtained between the cover and pallet portion. In most cases this interlock flange is the only interconnecting point between the carton body and the supporting base, but additional features are provided by applicant on the carton body itself to permit positive attachment thereof to the base entirely around the remaining sides at a lower 3,424,364 Patented Jan. 28, 1969 periphery thereof to more securely hold the article against possible damage.

Applicants device then provides a means for providing interconnecting features to positively hold a carton body onto a supporting pallet or base which interlock features are, due to the construction thereof, flexible to permit the carton body to be easily placed over the shipped article and to thereafter permit positive attachment between the supporting base and the carton body such that the unit may be handled through various methods. With the device as utilized it is possible to lift the entire unit with a fork truck or the like or it is possible to edge carry the unit by grasping along the entire top surface of the carton body. This latter function is available due to the interlock feature arranged between the carton body and the flange retaining element which flange retaining element becomes integral with the base by the interposition of the scored sheet forming the flange retaining element between the deck plates and the stringer plates of the base. This particular scored sheet designed to form the flange retaining element may be simply interposed between the deck plates and stringer plates or in a preferred form may wrap entirely around the deck plates to be more securely attached to the base unit.

It is therefore an object of applicants invention to provide a shipping container or the like which container provides a means for interlocking a carton body directly to a base member or the like which interlocking feature incorporates a flange and a flange retaining portion arranged respectively on the body and the base which interlocking flange positively supports and securely unites the body and base into an integral carton.

It is a further object of applicants invention to provide a shipping container or the like which includes a base or pallet member and wherein the base member is provided with an integral flange retaining element which integral flange retaining member permits the positive retention of a carton body flange therein to securely unite the body and the pallet into an integral container.

It is a further object of applicants invention to provide a storage or shipping cart-on and the like wherein a carton body and a supporting base are provided and wherein the carton body is attached to the base or pallet about the entire lower periphery thereof.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view illustrating the base, the article to be stored within the carton and the carton body; and

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation of the assembled unit having portions broken away to illustrate the interlocking feature between the base and the carton body.

In accordance with the accompanying drawings, in order to provide a shipping unit as provided by applicant, which unit affords particular strength and rigidity and positive connection between the lower supporting portion thereof and a top carton body the applicant provides a unique base section 11 and a carton section 12 to be received over an appliance arranged for connection to the base.

In the form shownithe base member includes at least a pair of longitudinal stringers 13-13 having transverse 3 deck plates 1414 arranged on the ends thereof. Naturally it may be possible to arrange a number of said deck plates 14 along the entire length of the stringers 13 and in the form shown applicant is concerned only with the endmost deck plates 14 which plates 14 are provided with an interlocking flange retaining portion 15 thereon which flange retaining portion 15 is integral with the base 11.

The flange retaining element 15 in the form shown comprises a scored fiber board sheet having a first portion thereof 16 arranged to lie in substantially planar relation with the uppermost surface of the stringer members 13 and to underlie the deck plates 14 such that the same is securely anchored between the deck plate 14 and the stringer member 13 to become an actual integral part of the base 11. As illustrated in FIG. 2 to provide a more positive connecting arrangement between this flange retaining sheet 15 and the base 11 applicant has provided a wrap around feature wherein the interposed portions 16 of the scored sheet 15 entirely encircles the deck plate 14 as illustrated at 17 to form a double interposed layer between the deck plate 14 and stringer 13. This wrap around feature will positively secure the score sheet 15 of the skid base 11.

As shown in FIG. 1, should a simple base pallet be utilized employing only a pair of stringers 13 and a pair of deck plates 14, a scored sheet 15 which is not wrapped around a plate 14 is held to the skid at only two locations and although this is satisfactory for certain situations it is, and should be, obvious that the wrap around feature provides a more positive retaining situation between the scored sheet 15 and the base 11 to provide an integral unit thereof.

As particularly illustrated in the drawings, the outwardly extending end 18 of the flange retaining scored sheet 15 is folded in such a manner so as to provide a downwardly disposed flange retaining cavity. This cavity is as illustrated in FIG. 1, open outwardly to permit a flange to be inserted therein and thereafter folded into the upward flange retaining position as illustrated in FIG. 2.

Any of several means may be utilized to attach the article A to the deck plates of the base 11 and in the form shown bolts are provided to extend upwardly through the deck plates 14 and be received into the bottom of the article A for positive attachment thereto. It should be obvious that if there were a possibility that the article would be moveable within the container and upon the base 11 that vertical supports could be provided to prevent such movement.

The carton body 12 in the form shown includes a tubular structure having end walls 20 and side walls 21 which of course correspond to the length and width of the base 11. Cover portion 22 of the carton 12 may be of the flanged type as illustrated which would permit the unit to be lifted from the topmost edge thereof or may be of any other conventional type closure. The end walls 20 of the body 12 are as illustrated provided at the lower edge thereof with a relatively long flange member 23 which flange member is scored to provide the outward and upward bending thereof as illustrated at 24-25. This scoring of the flange member 23 permits the insertion thereof into the open flange retaining cavity of base 11 and more particularly the scored flange retaining portion 15 thereof and after the insertion therein the flange retaining portion 15 is folded upwardly as illustrated in FIG. 2 to positively retain the outwardly extending flange 23 between the elements thereof. After flanges 15 and 23 on either end of the pack are' folded they are held in position through various methods such as steel strapping entirely around the girth of the pack, tape around the corners of the pack or staples or other mechanical fasteners to hold the same in the upright position as illustrated in FIG. 2.

Side portions 21 of the carton 20 are also provided with a downwardly extending flange member 26 which flange member is designed to extend downwardly onto the stringer portion 13 of the base 11 such that staples 27 or other similar fastening means may be utilized to hold the same against the stringers 13. In this manner the unit is entirely sealed about the outer lower periphery thereof by providing the flanged retaining and flanged construction on the ends of the unit and providing the stapling or other fastening means along the sides of the unit in cooperation with the lower stringer members 13 of the base 11.

One advantage of this type of carton is the conservation of material when this type of end capturing flange device is compared with a full peripheral interlocking flange design. With the device as illustrated herein it is not necessary to provide a full peripheral flange between the lower portion of the base and the cover unit but rather it is only necessary to provide an interlocking feature at the ends thereof because the interlock feature is an integral part of the base 11, due to the wrap around or interposed construction of the flange retaining sheet 15 between the deck plate and stringer members of the base. Applicants device then permits an interlock feature and a full closure feature about the entire lower periphery of the carton when necessary but also permits the utilization of only the end interlocking flange concept when the article warrants this limited use.

It should be obvious that applicant has provided a new and unique shipping container or the like which incorporates an integral flange feature for a base portion thereof which integral flange feature permits the positive attachment and retention of a carton body onto the base portion.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangements and proportion of parts without departing from the scope of my invention, which generally stated consists in the matter set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A shipping container or the like including:

(a) a base member having:

(1) at least a pair of longitudinally extending support members;

(2) at least a pair of transversely arranged support elements;

(b) a pair of foldable flange retaining elements interposed respectively between said longitudinal and said transverse supports extending outwardly therefrom and foldable to provide a flange retaining cavity, said foldable flange retaining elements being wrapped about and completely enclosing said transversely arranged support elements to form an integral portion with said base member;

(c) a carton body providing an enclosure for a member mounted on said base and including a pair of foldable flange members extending downwardly from said body and receivable into said flange retaining cavities; and

(d) means for retaining said flanges within said flange retaining cavities whereby said carton body is positively retained upon said base.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said foldable flange retaining elements include a fiber board composition having score lines thereacross to provide a portion thereof in substantially planar relation with respect to said transverse support members and extending outwardly therefrom to provide an open flange receiving cavity foldable upon itself to receive and retain the flanges of the carton body therein.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said carton body includes a downwardly extending flange element on the sides thereof arranged and constructed to extend downwardly to permit attachment thereof to said longitudinally extending support members.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said carton body is formed of a fiber material and said foldable 5 6 flange members are arranged with score lines thereacross 2,972,440 2/ 1961 Munroe 20646 XR to permit engagement Within the cavity of said flange re- 2,989,225 6/1961 Waldrop 229-23 taining elements.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 564,445 10/ 1958 Canada.

2,778,523 1/ 1957 Dedmon 229-23 XR DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner.

2,818,972 1/1958 Claus 20646 XR 2,910,221 10/1959 Whiton 229 23 US. Cl. X.R.

2,932,438 4/1960 Smith 206-46 XR 10 20646 

